Jordan will always be Safe Haven for Displaced People — Prince Hassan

AMMAN – Jordan will always be a safe haven for displaced people and those who suffer injustice, HRH Prince Hassan said on Wednesday.

During a meeting with Iraqi Christians who have taken refuge in Jordan at Mar Elias and the Lady of Peace churches, Prince Hassan said Iraq, the cradle of human civilisation, cannot suffer more hatred among its people, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The prince, who chairs the board of trustees of the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies, expressed sorrow over the Iraqis’ decision to leave their country.

“We, as Muslims and Christians, are joined by deep-rooted Arabic heritage and culture,” he said, according to Petra.

As Iraqi Christians, “your migration will make it difficult to retrieve this identity,” which makes up one of the bases of the Arab Muslim identity, Prince Hassan told the Iraqis.

He expressed his pain over the forced migration of thousands of Iraqi Christians from the city Mosul overnight, voicing his rejection of terrorism and extremism, which have nothing to do with Islam.

The Christians left Mosul after the Islamic State extremist group took over the city, forcing them to choose between converting to Islam, paying a special tax or death.

Around 1,000 Iraqi Christians have taken refuge in Jordan after escaping militant-controlled areas in Iraq. Caritas Jordan, which is affiliated with the Catholic Church, offers the refugees shelter and supplies.

Prince Hassan said he will convey the concerns of Iraqi and all Arab Christians to Pope Francis during his visit to the Vatican slated for later this week, Petra said.